R&D Engineering Manager

IPG•Marysville, MI

About The Position

The R&D Engineering Manager leads the development, transition, and integration of new technologies and process platforms from R&D into production. The role provides engineering and people leadership to the R&D process team and leads process and product development projects. The manager supports a safe work environment and safety programs, develops the R&D process team, and builds a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional growth. The role partners with cross-functional stakeholders and vendors, oversees R&D’s technology pipeline and capabilities, and advances innovation through technology evaluation and proof-of-concept testing. It also uses experimental methods and analytics to guide decisions, maintains technical documentation, and applies project management practices to achieve project goals. The position works with a union and facilitates teamwork, open communication, and compliance with the current collective bargaining agreement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related engineering field.
10+ years of engineering experience.
3+ years of supervisory experience.
Strong competency with digital tools that support digital transformation and data analysis.
Strong mechanical aptitude with industrial mechanical process systems.
Innovative, organized, self-starter with strong problem-solving skills.
Collaborative interpersonal style.
Strong technical and non-technical communication skills, including written and verbal reports and presentations to diverse audiences.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in engineering or management.
Experience with extrusion, mixing, coating, and packaging processes.

Responsibilities

Create and sustain a safe work environment; support safety programs, encourage incident reporting, and support investigations and corrective actions.
Lead, coach, and develop the R&D process team; set direction, expectations, and an execution rhythm.
Provide performance feedback and career development support to the R&D process team; build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional growth.
Partner across R&D, Operations, Quality, Sales, EHS, Supply Chain, Finance, and other stakeholders to align priorities and execute project plans in support of strategic corporate initiatives.
Build vendor relationships and lead vendor evaluations, technical reviews, and collaboration to accelerate prototyping and problem-solving.
Oversee R&D’s technology pipeline and ongoing capabilities, including capital deployment and asset management.
Evaluate new technologies and processes, make recommendations, and initiate proof-of-concept testing to drive continuous innovation.
Apply Design of Experiments (DoE), statistics, and advanced analytics to plan experiments, interpret results, and guide decisions.
Establish technical documentation practices, including experimental plans, run logs, interpretive reports, work instructions, and clear recommendations.
Define, plan, schedule, and control the tasks needed to reach project goals.
Facilitate teamwork, open communication, and compliance with the current collective bargaining agreement while working with a union.